The Ragin’ Cajuns are now finished with fall-semester final exams, much to their delight, in the classroom.

But members of the 7-2 UL basketball team understand they’re in store for a real test Tuesday night, when they meet 7-2 Louisiana Tech in Ruston.

Johnathan Stove, a senior swingman, knows first-hand just what challenges will be in front of coach Bob Marlin’s club.

“We’re playing against a very good team in a tough environment,” Stove said.

“You’ve got to lock in for that game, definitely. … You’ve got to bring it, because if you don’t they’re gonna embarrass you.

“They’re gonna be scrappy, they’re gonna play hard, they’re gonna make shots, they’re gonna guard, they’re gonna do whatever it takes to win,” Stove added. “And you’ve got to bring that to … beat them, even be in the game with them.”

Conference USA-member Louisiana Tech’s two losses this season both were close ones, to then-No. 24 Alabama (77-74) late last month on the road and at home last Wednesday night at Southland Conference-member Stephen F. Austin (85-83).

The Bulldogs have wins over NCAA Division III-member Texas-Tyler, Southeastern Missouri State and Montana State at home; Georgia Mason and Evansville in Cancun, Mexico; NCAA Division II-member Miles College at home; and, last Saturday, Jackson State in Ruston.

UL must counter that, Marlin suggested, with strong perimeter play including solid shooting from guards Cedric Russell and P.J. Hardy.

Marlin’s Cajuns haven’t been beat by an in-state opponent since losing 91-79 to Louisiana Tech in 2015 on the road.

They’re 13-0 during that stretch, including 7-0 last season and 4-0 this season with home wins over NCAA Division III-member Louisiana College, Southland-members McNeese State and Nicholls, and NAIA-members Loyola of New Orleans.

The Cajuns are 3-1 against Louisiana Tech since the two teams renewed their long-running series in 2013, when UL won 89-80 in Ruston behind Kasey Shepherd’s 22 points and double-doubles from current NBA point guard Elfrid Payton and former NBA big man Shawn Long.

UL’s 2013 win over the Bulldogs and SFA’s last week mark two of just five home losses for Louisiana Tech in 85 games since the start of the 2013-13 season.

“It’s our (longest) rivalry,” Marlin said of the series, which began during the 1930-31 season and now is 128 games old. “We’ve played them more than anyone else.”

Thirty-five times more than next-closest McNeese, in fact.

“When I came (in 2010), we weren’t playing. I asked (then-Louisiana Tech coach) Mike White (now the head coach at Florida) to play; it took him a couple years,” Marlin said. “He wanted to build up his roster. And then he was kind enough to start the series, and we started at their place.

“We were fortunate we went in there and won, and broke a very long winning streak (56 games) that they had at home.”

Since then UL won 95-86 in 2014 at the Cajundome behind Long’s 24-point, 15-rebound double-double, Louisiana Tech won 91-79 in 2015 as the Cajuns blew a 10-point second-half lead in Ruston, and UL won 91-83 in 2016 at home behind Bryce Washington’s double-double and despite Boykins’ 7-for-10 shooting from 3-point range.

Each outing seems etched in Marlin’s mind.

“All of sudden (Boykins) took that cushion away from us,” the Cajuns coach said of last year’s meeting, “and it ended up being a couple-possessions game.”

LAGNIAPPE: Marlin said senior guard Frank Bartley IV, who did not play against Loyola-New Orleans due to a sprained ankle sustained in practice, should be “good to go” Tuesday night at Louisiana Tech. … Installation of a new floor at the Cajuns’ Moncla practice facility starts Tuesday. … Washington needs seven points to move into 38th place on UL’s all-time scoring list, and two rebounds to pass Reginald Poole for fifth place on that list.